Regulator



June 19, 1945. KlMBALL 2,378,410

REGULATOR Filed March 11, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 19,1945. J K L 1 2,378,410

REGULATOR Filed March 11, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .32 as" 37 47 36 23 af' ll" J 25 I l O I 26 C 4/ 2/ I 4 I Wm I46 a \z y )v,v 1 /0 z I /7 /9 Inventor Patented June 19, 1945 REGULATOR James L. Kimball, Danvers, Mass, assignor to Ruggles-Klingemann Mfg. (3b., Salem, Mass.

Application March 11, 1944, Serial No. 526,085

10 Claims. (C

to regulators of this class equipped with a followup method of compensated control. Such regulators are adapted to the operation of valves, dampers and rheostats for the regulation of pressure, temperature water level and for other purposes.

The specific improvements of this invention is principally concerned with the operation of rheostats used inthe control of variable speed motor driven pumps and blowers. For this service a relatively high speed of the fluid pressure motor is required in order to effect a quick break of the contacts and thus to prevent arcing and burning of the contact points. It is also necessary to provide means whereby the motor can only stop at definite positions corresponding to those of the contacts of the rheostat.

These objects are accomplished by a novel additional control associated with the follow-up compensating means, adapted to so govern the operation of the pilot valve as to effect constant high speed between definite steps of operation of the motor. I am well aware of the fact that the prior art discloses so-called step-action regulators or the fluid pressure operated class, but in all such regulators, as far as I am aware any attempt to obtain high speed between a step of operation in one direction results in a dragging motion on a reversal of operation.

My invention resides in means associated with the conventional follow-up compensating means adapted to effect an abrupt relatively high' speed operation of the motor between definite steps of operation in either direction, such as required in the operation of rheostats for controlling the speed of variable speed motors of relatively large size operating at high voltage.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a front view of a regulator including my invention, parts of the regulator being shown in section, Fig. 2 s a plan View taken on lines 22, of Fig. 1. 3 is a plan view taken on lines 3-3, of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the start of the upward motion of the motor and Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the start of the downward motion of the motor.

Referring to l, numeral I represents a rheostat or other type of electric controller which may be used in the speed control of motor driven pumps and blowers, the automatic control of which is from pressure either directly or indirectly generated by such pumps or blowers.

cable lextends around a drum 3 and has a counter-weight 4 for operating the controller in one direction. The opposite end of the cable extends over sheaves 5 and 5 and is connected to link 6 mounted on the upper end of piston rod 1.

Piston rod 1 has a piston 8 at its lower end which operates in cylinder 9 and constitutes a fluid pressure motor having reciprocatory motion for the operation of control devices such as shown in l. Pilot valve [0 has an inlet port ll, fluid pressure being connected at l2, with delivery ports i3 and [4. Port l3 extends to the under side of piston 8 and port M extends to the upper end of cylinder 9 above piston 8, through conduit l5. A sliding piston valve l6 has spaced cylindrical portions 11 and H! which control the admission and exhaust to and from opposite ends of the motor cylinder 9. When valve I6 is raised, fluid pressure is admitted past cylindrical position IT to port l3 and to the under side of piston 8, at the same time cylindrical portion 18 is moved upward exhausting fluid from the upper end of cylinder 9 through conduit l5 and port M to exhaust connection 19, and piston 8 moves upward. When valve I6 is lowered fluid pressure is admitted past cylinder portion l8 thence through port 14 and conduit 15 to the top of cylinder 9 at the same time fluid is exhausted from the bottom of cylinder 9 through port l3 and pastcylindrical portion ll thence through passage to exhaust connection l9, and piston 8 moves in a downward direction.

A further description of the invention will be clear if it is understood that an upward movement of valve It means an upward movement of piston 8; and likewise, a downward movement of valve it means a downward movement of piston 8.

This pilot valve I6 is pivotally connected at 2i to a floating lever 22, The right hand end of lever 22 is pivotally connected to another floating lever 23 at points 24. and 25 by a. connecting link 26. A yoke 21 connects the upper lever 23 with the weighted beam 28-. This beam is operated from a flexible diaphragm 29 by variations in pressure in chamber 38. I will first describe the operation of the regulator from its conventional follow up compensating characteristic.

A Wedge 3! is connected at its upper end to link 6 mounted on piston rod 1 and has a reciprocating motion corresponding to that of piston 8, an arm 32 has a roll 33 held in contact with the angle wedge 31 by spring 34. Arm 32 operates a short crank 35 pivotally connected to lever 23 at point 36.

In the operation of the regulator thus far described, an increase in pressure in chamber 30 will operate the pilot valve [6 in an upward direction and likewise piston 8 and its connected wedge 31 is operated in an upward direction. Roll 33 in following the angle of wedge 3| will cause a rocking motion of lever 23, fulcrumed on yoke 21 at pivot point 3?, the left hand end being raised and the right hand end lowered thereby effecting the necessary motion for the return of the pilot valve it towards its neutral position.

With a decrease in pressure in chamber 30 the piston valve will be operated in a downward direction and likewise piston 8 and its connected wedge 3| is operated in a downward direction, and consequently roll 33 in following the angle of wedge 3! will cause lever 23 to be rocked in the opposite direction the left hand end being lowered and the right hand end raised thereby effecting the necessary motion for the return of the pilot valv 16 toward its neutral position.

It will be understood from description of the operation thus far given that piston 8 could be operated in a slow motion or a relatively rapid motion depending on the nature of the impulse in pressure change acting on diaphragm 29 in chamber 38, and likewise the stopping of the piston, or the point at which a reversal of operation might take place, could be at any position between the limits of operation of the piston 8.

My invention consists of an additional control for actuating the left hand end of lever 22 to thereby effect an abrupt operation of the pilot valve 16 to cause a relatively high speed operation of pitson 8 for a definite step of operation, regardless of the nature of the initial impulse acting on diaphragm 29. To accomplish this object I provide an operating member 38 for operating a short crank 39 pivotally connected to lever 22 at 40. Member 38 is equipoised at a neutral position by resilient means such as springs 4| and 42. A gear rack 43 is attached to wedge 3i and drives a gear pinion 44 attached to an operating cam 45.

This operating cam 45 has one or more notches 46 at its periphery which are engaged by a projection 4'! on member 38 such as a stud or roll, which allows member 38 to assume an equilibrium or neutral position at definite step positions in the operation of piston 8. The operation of this cam 45 and its associated members will be best understood by a reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 shows the operation of the motor and its connected wedge 31 in an upward direction as would be the case with an increase in pressure acting on diaphragm 29. This upward motion rotates cam 45 in clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow, and in doing so, member 38 is operated downward below its neutral position and thereby opens the pilot valve port an amount in excess of its initial opening. Likewise on a downward motion of the motor as on a decrease in pressure on diaphragm 29, the member 38 will be operated above its neutral position in a counter clockwise direction further opening pilot valve ports, over that of its initial opening, effecting maximum speed of the motor piston in the opposite direction.

This additional control for effecting step by step operation of the motor cooperates with the followup control in the following manner.

We will assume the initial opening of the pilot valve for the passage of fluid pressure is /54 of an inch and the additional opening effected by the operation of cam 45 is T16 of an inch, now the return motion of the follow-up for the step of operation is the same as the initial opening, consequently when projection 41 engages notch 46 allowing member 38 to assume its neutral position, the pilot valve will be returned to its neutral position, to await a further variation in pressure for a further operation of the motor. It is possible that the change in pressure acting on diaphragm could be suflicient to operate the pilot valve l6 so far above or below its neutral position that the return motion of the compensator would not be suflicient to bring the valve back to a neutral position in a single step of operation. However, when the stopping point is reached it would be definitely at a step position corresponding with the contact position on the rheostat controller.

In accordanc with the provisions of the rules of practice of the Patent Oflice, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent a preferred embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and is capable of various modifications and that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a regulator, a fluid pressure operated motor, a valve adapted to control a source of fluid under pressure for operating said motor, means for initially opening said valve, means operated by the motor for abruptly increasing said opening on the motor commencing to act, and for maintaining its increased opening for a predetermined step of operation, and additional means operated from the motor cooperating with the first and second named means for returning said valvein the direction of its closed position an amount corresponding substantially to that of the initial opening.

2. In a regulator, comprising, in combination a reversible fluid motor, a pilot valve adapted to control a source of fluid under pressure for operating said motor in either of two directions, means for initially opening said valve, means operated by the motor for abruptly increasing the initial opening a predetermined amount and for a predetermined travel of said motor, and additional means operated from the motor cooperating with the first and second named means for effecting a return motion of said valve an amount corresponding substantially to that of the initial opening.

3. In a step action regulator, comprising, in combination, a fluid motor, a pilot valve adapted to control a source of fluid under pressure for operating said motor in either of two directions, means responsive to the condition to be regulated for initially opening the pilot valve, means operated by the motor for abruptly increasing the initial opening a substantially unvarying amount for the entire step of operation, and additional means operated from the motor cooperating with the first and second named means for effecting a return motion of said valve an amount corresponding substantially to that of the initial openmg.

4. In a multiple step action regulator, comprising, in combination, a fluid motor, a pilot valve adapted to control a source of fluid under pressure for operating said motor in either of two directions, means responsive to the condition to be regulated for initially operating the pilot valve, means operated by the motor for abruptly increasing the initial opening on the motor commencing to act, and for abruptly decreasing the increased opening at the end of a predetermined step of operation, and additional means operated from the motor cooperating with'the first and second named means for effecting a return motion of said valve an amount corresponding substantially to that of the initial opening whereby the motor is operated in multiple steps of operation.

5. In a regulator having a reversible fluid pressure operated motor, a pilot valve adapted to control a source of fluid pressure for operating said motor in either of two directions, means responsive to the condition to be regulated for actuating the pilot valve, compensating means operated from the motor co-acting with the condition regulating means tending to return the pilot valve toward a neutral position, additional control means comprising a member associated with said compensating means, and means operated by the motor for actuating said member to thereby actuate the pilot valve in the opposite direction to that of the compensating means for definite steps of operation of the motor in either direction.

6. In a regulator having a reversible fluid pressure operated motor, a pilot valve adapted to control a source of fluid pressure for operating said motor in either of two directions, means responsive to the condition to be regulated for actuating the pilot valve, compensating means operated from the motor co-acting with the condition regulating means tending to return the pilot valve towards a neutral position, means associated with said compensating means comprising a member equipoised at a neutral position by resilient means, and means operated by the motor for ating the pilot valve, follow-up compensating means operated from the motor co-acting with the condition regulating means tending to return the pilot Valve toward a neutral position, means associated with said compensating means comprising a member equipoised at a neutral position by resilient means, and means operated by the motor on the motor commencing to act for abruptly actuating said member an equal amount to either one or the other side of its equilibrium position depending on the direction of operation of said motor to thereby efiect an abrupt opening of the pilot valve for a definite step of operation of the said motor in either direction, and for abruptly decreasing the increased opening at the end of the steps of operation.

8. In a regulator having a reversible fluid pressure operated motor, a pilot valve adapted to control a source of fluid pressure for operating said motor in either of two directions, means responsive to the condition to be regulated for actuating the pilot valve, follow-up compensating means operated from the motor co-acting with the condition regulating means adapted to effect a return motion of the pilot valve during the operation of the motor in either direction, additional control means operated by the motor associated with the compensating means for abruptly actuating the pilot valve in the opposite direction to that of the return motion for definite steps of operation of the power motor in either direction, and for abruptly decreasing the amount of the increased opening at the end of the step of operation.

9. In a step action regulator, a fluid motor, a valve having a neutral position and two eifective positions adapted to control a source of fluid under pressure for operating said motor in either of two directions, a pressure responsive device adapted to initially open said valve to either one of the opposite sides of its neutral position, means operated by the motor for abruptly increasing the initial opening on the motor commencing to act, comprising a member normally equipoised at an equilibrium position by resilient means, a cam driven from the motor adapted toactuate said member to either one or the other side of its equilibrium position depending on the direction of operation of said motor, and follow-up compensating means operated from the motor cooperating with the first named means for returnin the pilot valve in the direction of its neutral position an amount corresponding substantially to that of the initial opening.

10. In a step action regulator, a fluid motor, a valve having a neutral position in which it is not effective in operating the motor and two effective positions adapted to control a source of fluid under pressure for operating the motor in either of two directions, a device responsive to the condition to be regulated adapted to initially open said valve to either one or the opposite sides of its neutral position, means for abruptly increasing said opening on the motor commencing to act, and for maintaining its increased opening for a predetermined step of operation in either direction, comprising a member equipoised at an equilibrium position by resilient means, a cam driven from the motor adapted to actuate said member an equal distance to either one or the other side of its equilibrium position depending on the direction of operation of said motor, and a followup compensating means operated from the motor cooperating with the first named means for effecting a return motion of the pilot valve toward its neutral position an amount corresponding substantially to that of the initial opening.

JAMES L. KIMBALL. 

